FOR AND FROM KIMBERLEY.

Kumara Times, Issue 3044, 5 August 1886, Page 2

FOR AND FROM KIMBERLEY.

THE GOLD ESCORT. UNFAVOURABLE NEWS. MINERS SPEARED BY NATIVES. The West Australian of June 30th says :—“The gold escort for Kimberley was paraded before the Governor prior to departure. It consists of Inspector Finnerty (who will take charge of the police in the Kimberley district), Sergeant Sherry, Troop-Corporal Keen, Farrier Sweeney, Trooper Corniah, and four teamsters. There were four threehorse teams in drays, and altogether the horses numbered twenty-three, all fine-looking animals. His Excellency, Lady Broome, moat of the heads of departments, and several members of the Legislative Council were present to see the expedition set out and bid them good-bye. The party went by road to Fieemantle, where they were joined, prior to embarkation on the Otway, by Troopers Mallard and Brophy. In reference to this extract the Wellington Post mentions that the two last-named troopers are Wellington men, who left with a party bound for the goldfields about two months ago. The party landed at Perth, where in consequence of the conflicting reports from Kimberley, it was decided that two of them should, if possible, get some Govern, ment work in connection with the goldfield, so as to form the nucleus of a common fund in the event of the expedition turning out unprofitable. Mallard and Brophy were chosen, and, both being expert horsemen, bad no difficulty in getting appointed to the mounted constabulary on escort duty, at £l5O a year each, A letter from Mr Brophy embodying these particulars was received by his friends a few days ago. [Per s.s. Rotomahana at the Bluff.] Melbourne, July 28. Reports from Cambridge Gulf and King’s Sound state that no gold has been received from Kimberley diggings for about two months. About 3000 men are now in the Kimberley district. Cartage to the diggings is Is 6d per lb., from Derby or Wyndham. The prospects of the field are not considered good enough to warrant the present rush, and the country promises better for reefing than for alluvial mining. O ft* A party of three men prospecting in a gully were attacked by natives. One was speared through the heart, and another in the forehead. The former died instantaneously.